Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-17
WACO.
A Legal Inquiry Into the Killing Of
DR.. Thompson Shows 1t to
have Been Murder.
An International Marriage Brought About
by Cupid Alone-A Methodist Bishop.
Against high License.
Special TO the Gazette.

WACO, TEX, Feb. 16.-"Murder will
out" is again illustrated by the horrible,
startling developments to-day in regard
to the killing of DR.. w. H. Thompson
near Axtell Monday. The whole sicken
ing story was told in Justice Sleeper's
courtroom to-day. Thompson was muir
dered and that most foully and brutally, /
if the testimony given to-day was true.
As was stated in the accounts telegraphed
THE GAZETTE yesterday, Thompson died
by the accidental discharge of his own
pistol after Thompson had shot
Sneed. This version was never
credited by the officers here, and
especially did County Attorney Blair dis
credit it. The gentleman said yesterday:
at is my belief Thompson was killed by
pistol in somebody's else hands with
murderous intent, aud intend to sift the
affair to the bottom if l can get the OIL
GERS and citizens to stand by me, no mat
his word, and this morning he COM
menced the work OF lifting the mystery
that hung around the affair.
Thompson's body was brought to Waco
last night and embalmed to-day. Geo. X.
the dead man, telegraphed to Waco this
morning, assuming all expenses and d.
recting that the body be shipped there.
1t will be forwarded tonight. THE GA
ZETTE reporter looked at the body as it
ley in the embalming room. The face was
bruised from the kicks and blows
showered on it after Thompson had been
shot and fallen. There is one gun shot
wound in the left side, just above the
hip, where the bullet entered, emerging
on the right side, under the arm pit. Two
wounds are on the head, caused by kick
and blow with the butt of pistol
A Jury of inquest was summoned this
morning and convened with Justice
Sleeper presiding as coroner. The open
ing evidence was held with closed doors,
but afterward the public was admitted
County Attorney Blair condu ted the in
qury, and the testimony opened
Lou A. Reno, being sworn, said: 81
knew Doc Thompson; he was killed near
the line of McLennan and Limestone
counties, where a race was TO be run on
Monday afternoon; Luther Pipptn killed
him; DR.. Thompson came to the race
with another man, who fell off his horse
and dislocated his arm; Thompson pulled
the mans arm in place, and afterwards
laid down and took nap; Thompson had
been drinking before he went TO sleep
When Thompson awoke he called up
crowd to treat them to beer. After they
drank Thompson pulled out his pistol
and slammed it down against the counter
1t went off, the ball passed through a
plank or the counter and struck Peter
Sneed in the left leg, then passing through
the calf of his right leg. Sneed re-
marked; "Doc, you've shot me-"
Thompson replied: Here, take my ps-
toll and shoot me-" scutle ensued for
the pistol, which Thompson held in his
hand, and during this scutile Luther Pip
pin ran up and put his pistol against
Thompson's side and fired it off, Pippin
fired his pistol while the crowd was scuf-
fling for Thompson's pis'ol; Buck Pippin, |
q brother OF Luther Pippin, took Thomp-
sons pistol out of his (Thompson's) hand
and struck him over the head. Thomp-
son fell and died without speaking. He
did not fall until after Buck Pippin struck
him over the head. After Thompson fell, !
A. Sleed rem up and kicked him on the |
head. Messrs. Moron and Jim KEEL |
lUm pulled the Pippins away and
put an overcoat under Thompson's head:
James Kellum accused the Pippins of |
numbering Thompson; after Thompson |
died, the Pipplns put Peter Sneed in q !
buggy and took him home. The men |
concerned in the killing talked together, |
and Buck Pippin said he murder must /
be accounted for, aud it was agreed to .
say that Thompson had killed himself !
accidentally. | made the statement that |
Thompson was killed accidentally be-
cause I knew that one man had been
murdered, and the crowd that killed him
would not hesitate to murder another
The first statement | made IS not true | !
make this statement because | know the
law will protect me, and further know
that the facts are bound to come OUT
Several other witnesses We're examined,
but their accounts only tended to corrob-
crate the above testimony of Reno's,
which gives the gist of the story of the
murder. The Pippins are relatives of the
man Sneed, who was shot by Thompson.
Reno states most positively that there
was no hard feeling between Sneed and
Thompson before the first pistol was fired.
Warrants have been issued for the ar
rest OF Buck and Luther Pippin, and q
posse OF officers have gone to scour the
country for the murderers. Buck Pippin
lives in East Waco. The directory gives
his occupation as "horse trader" but he
nor his brother Luther have been seen
here for several days-at least not by any
one who seems disposed to make such
knowledge known.
1t IS not quite three months ago that
an estimable and accomplished young
lady of this city went on mission to
Monterey, Mex to tend with loving care
on sick brother, who sought relief in
the delightful Mexican climate, but who
was destined to eLd bis life there While
in Monterey the lady formed the &C
quaintance of Mexican gentleman and
business man, resident of Monterey,
who, by his thoughtful courtesies to the
young American who was dying, a
stranger in Monterey, could not but
arouse the gratitude of the sister.
The gentleman could not speak
English or the lady Spanish, but the
two could converse through interpreters
and the acquaintance then commenced,
under rather sad surroundings, was not
to end with the young lady's return to
her Texas home. Letters followed her
to Waco, from her Mexican friend, who
soon announced thatshe was so deeply
impressed with her personal and mental
Urecps that no craved tho honor